


Maybe

by Tani



Category: Peach Girl
Genre: Multi, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-05-21
Updated: 2007-05-21
Packaged: 2017-10-05 08:40:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/39816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tani/pseuds/Tani
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eventually, when she feels like she can talk about it without crying, Momo tells Kairi everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Maybe

Eventually, when she feels like she can talk about it without crying, Momo tells Kairi. About the picture and the blackmail and the real reason that Touji broke up with her. She doesn't know how she expects him to react, but it surprises her when the first thing he does after the story is over is lean down and kiss her. She melts into the kiss, and fancies she can taste fear on Kairi's tongue. She can certainly see it in his eyes when they pull apart.

"You know I'll always be there for you, Momo," he says.

Yes, I know, she thinks. She says, "I owe Touji a lot."

Kairi nods. He still looks thunderstruck by just how badly things could have gone, so she reaches down to take his hand. He squeezes it almost to the point of pain before slackening his grip. When she looks up from their joined hands, his familiar smile is back, but she knows him well enough now to see the emotion bottled up behind it.

"I wish I could thank him somehow," she blurts suddenly. It's a thought that's been in her mind for quite a while, but this is the first time she's put it into words. Because honestly, she knows that nothing can repay Touji for all the things he's done for her. And maybe it would cheapen it even to try, but she wants to anyway. Sometimes, Touji still looks at her with that same softness in his eyes, just like when they were dating. He tries to hide it, but she sees. It makes her want to hurt, to stop being so deliriously happy with Kairi, to somehow return herself to misery in Touji's place because no matter how many times everyone denies it, it still feels like Touji's pain is her fault. She is willing to admit that she can't necessarily control her feelings, but whether she can control it or not does not change the fact that Touji is in pain, and it is because of her.

Kairi tilts his head back and looks at the sky. Momo recognizes the thoughtful look on his face. She knows she should probably just stay silent. She should let it be. She knows she doesn't make things better by continually bringing them up. Despite all that knowledge, she's never been able to master the art of keeping silent.

So, she talks. She talks about that last night. She tells him how she felt when she got that text message. She says that even now, knowing that it was from Sae, her heart shrinks in her chest at the thought of those words. He doesn't say anything, but she doesn't expect him to. She's told him this part before.

It's when she moves on to Touji's actions that night that she gets a reaction. He looks at her, an incredulous look that she would take offense at, if she didn't almost disbelieve herself, despite having lived through it. That Touji could be so out of control...so desperate...It seems almost out of character. A part of her is flattered to think that she mattered so much to Touji. Another part is horrified, knowing how much it must have hurt when she left. The rest of her is just numb.

"I think I have an idea," Kairi says. Then he clamps his mouth shut and refuses to speak. She spends long moments trying to coax the words out of him before they start to stutter out. "Well, he obviously wants you," he says.

Momo doesn't blush at the thought as she might once have. She and Kairi have been together for months now. Somehow, sex just doesn't seem as embarrassing anymore. She doesn't see where Kairi is going though. Touji may want her, but she's _with_ Kairi. She says so.

He tilts his head. "Well, yes. But this way, you could be with me and Touji."

She does blush at that. She blinks, and behind her eyes an image takes shape. Kairi is behind her, pressed close to her back. He leans over and trails kisses down her neck. She tilts her head to give him better access, and suddenly Touji is before her. He takes a step closer, and she can feel his body pressing her back into Kairi. She gasps, and he bends down to kiss her.

She blinks again, and the image is gone. She imagines that she can still feel the two of them against her, though, and she looks down. One blade of grass is taller than all the others, and it makes her think of Touji. She reaches out and plucks it, twirling it in her hand.

Kairi's hand covers her own, and she drops the grass. It disappears back into the patch that it came from. "I didn't mean to-" Kairi starts, but he doesn't finish the thought.

They are silent. Minutes pass, but it doesn't feel like her blush has lessened. Kairi won't look at her, but his hand still covers hers. She turns her hand over and squeezes lightly. When his eyes dart to her face, she smiles. He smiles back. The love shining in his eyes makes her feel like she's just an extension of the sunlight falling on her face.

She is still warm and weightless with his smile when she asks him, "How?"

She almost takes it back as soon as she says it. She can see that he is waiting for her to do so. In her memories, she sees the desperation in Touji's eyes as he pinned her down. She feels the thrill that went through her at that look; not all fear, but not all sexual either.

She doesn't retract the question, and Kairi lays out his plan. It's simple, a matter of slipping past Touji's defenses before he's even aware they might be necessary. She likes that about Kairi's plans. They don't add unnecessary complications to something that is already complicated enough. She thinks that she would be too nervous to do a complicated plan anyway. She would forget something, mess up somewhere, and then she would never be able to thank Touji the way that she so desperately wants to.

As the day of the plan approaches, she gets increasingly jittery, and she thinks that Kairi is doing the same, just hiding it better. It makes her feel guilty, and wonder if maybe he doesn't want to do this. Maybe he's just doing this for her sake. That's wrong, and as much as she wants to thank Touji, she won't tolerate that. So, as the day draws closer, she asks him, "Are you sure about this, Kairi? Really sure?"

Kairi looks up from the ice cream he was contemplating buying, and says, "Well, I am a little uncertain if I want chocolate or vanilla," and she realizes that she's obsessing. He probably realizes it too a moment later when she blushes beet red to the roots of her hair. "Momo-chan? Can I assume that you weren't talking about ice cream after all?"

She nods.

He looks serious, then says, "Can it wait a minute? You know, until we're in a slightly more private place."

Momo nods again, eyeing the few other people in the convenience store. Privacy is probably a good idea.

She asks him again once they reach the safety of his bedroom.

He meets her eyes and smiles. "Why wouldn't I be?"

She considers listing off reasons (she's got them arranged in a bulleted list in her head), but doesn't. Instead, she just says, "I don't want to hurt you."

His smile is soft, and he kisses her forehead as he says, "You won't." So, she keeps her doubts to herself, and he does the same, and time passes.

* * *

Touji is doing his homework when his phone rings. He picks it up distractedly, not wanting to lose the answer that he just spent the past five minutes thinking of the perfect wording for. He is still writing when he says, "Hello?"

"Touji?"

His writing stutters to a stop. Momo is crying, he knows, even though there is nothing in her voice that hints of it. He has spent far too much time watching her to ever miss something like tears, even amidst the strains of a bright and cheerful voice.

"What's wrong?" he asks, placing his pencil firmly to the side and closing his book. Homework can wait.

"I-it's Kairi," Momo says, and now her voice does break. It's just a little, but it's enough. He is on his feet.

"Did Kairi get hurt somehow? Where are you? Do you need me to be there?" The questions stream out like they have no connection to the rest of his body, which is already grabbing a sweater and heading for the door.

"I-" Momo sounds startled, so Touji reverts to his original question in as soothing a tone as he can manage.

"Did something happen to Kairi?"

"I-no. I mean, that is, he..." She takes a deep breath, and Touji knows it's going to be bad. "Kairi broke up with me." The tears are back, but shock rocks Touji until he almost doesn't notice.

"He broke up with you?" Touji parrots dumbly. He never thought that would be the answer to his question, not even in his wildest dreams. He has seen how much Kairi cares about Momo, and the idea of him breaking up with her just doesn't mesh with that fact. "What happened?" he asks, sitting down to pull on his shoes.

"I-I-I need you," Momo says. "Please come to my house."

His foot slides that last centimeter into the shoe, and he stands. "I'll be there," he promises Momo before hanging up. She'll be ok for another couple minutes, and he'll need his breath to get to her house as quickly as possible. "I'm going out," he calls over his shoulder to his parents, ignoring the puzzled questions that trail after him. Then he's outside, feet pounding against the pavement as he breaks into a run.

His breath is shuddering in his lungs by the time he reaches Momo's house. He pauses to pet the dog next door, partially to let it return to normal, and partially to steel himself for the coming ordeal.

In the days after Momo had left him for Kairi, he'd entertained fond fantasies of the multiple unpleasant things that he would do to the loud-mouthed pain in the ass. Then he had opened his eyes to Momo's wide, happy smile when she was with him, and all his anger disappeared. He still ached for what he might have had, but it was a half-hearted ache that he knew he would never do anything about. He'd decided at the same time that, if necessary, he would fight to keep the two of them together and to keep that happy smile on Momo's face. That is worth his pain.

When he can finally breathe again without wheezing, he proceeds to the door. He pushes the button on the intercom, and then waits impatiently. Momo's voice is composed when she answers. "Touji?"

He thinks he detects an odd note in his name, and he pauses a second before answering, "Yes, it's me."

"Come in," she says. The odd note is still there, but he doesn't pause this time before proceeding to the door.

The Momo that slides the door open and lets him in is not the girl he expected to see. He thought she would be crying, or at least red-eyed. Something should be visible to show just how upset he knows she must be. Yet there is nothing. She is calm, composed. She even smiles when she sees him. She doesn't seem inclined to talk, though, so he keeps silent as she leads the way to her bedroom. He wants to ask where her parents are, but doesn't quite dare. His intentions are getting harder to stick to with every second, and he's barely been there a minute. What is that saying again? 'The road to hell is paved with good intentions'? Yeah, that sounds about right.

Momo immediately settles onto her bed upon entering the room. Touji stops a few steps inside. He doesn't really know what to do with himself. He's always felt a little uneasy intruding on Momo's room, so obviously female in every way. Now that he is no longer her boyfriend, he feels even worse. Plus, there is really no place for anyone to sit. Other than the bed, that is, and the bed is so not an option.

The door clicks shut behind him, and Touji jumps. _What the-_ He stiffens as arms tighten around him. "Who-?" he starts to ask. The rest of the question becomes lost as lips brush gently against his neck, sending shivers down his spine. He watches with wide eyes as Momo suddenly rises from the bed, a sway to her hips that he has never seen before. His muscles seem to dissolve into nothing. He can't move. The lips on his neck move up to touch against his jaw. Then Momo's lips are against his, and thought becomes an impossibility. She feels divine, just as she had always done. He is drowning.

Thankfully, he knows how to swim. It takes only a fraction of his strength to push Momo away. And once past that moment of stunned shock, he finds that pulling away from the person behind him is just as simple. He isn't entirely surprised to find that it is Kairi.

Kairi smiles at him, wrapping an arm around Momo. Touji is momentarily struck by the realization that those same lips that are smiling at him now were the ones that had felt so good only moments before. His stomach twists. Oh, this is just perfect timing for a crisis concerning his sexual orientation. Yes, things couldn't be better in the land of Toujigamori Kazuya.

"I'm leaving," he says, and turns to open the door.

Before he can even finish twisting the doorknob, Momo's hand falls over his. It would have been easy to continue the motion despite her presence, but somehow, he can't. He had walked away from Momo once, and it had been the most painful thing he had ever done. He doesn't think that he can do it again. Not like this.

He stares at the hand over his for a moment longer, then turns and squarely meets Kairi's eyes. "What is this?" he asks the other boy.

Kairi blinks. "I know you're a bit naive, Touji, but I would have thought even you could get this one. I believe we were coming on to you."

"Yes, I actually got that. I guess the better question would be, 'Why?'"

Momo steps back to Kairi's side, blushing. "It was my idea."

"What!?"

Momo looks down. "I just-I wanted some way to-to thank you. You did so much to protect me. I-I owe you so much, Touji. I told Kairi about it, and I told him that I wanted to do something to thank you. He suggested this."

"So this was your idea after all," Touji says, focusing back on Kairi. "I should have known."

"Just because he suggested it doesn't make it his fault," Momo says, a disheartened note to her voice. "It was my choice and my mistake. I shouldn't have called you here, Touji. I'm sorry. You can go, if it makes you feel uncomfortable."

Kairi looks ready to argue at that, but Momo just gives him a Look, and he shuts his mouth. In place, he opens the door.

"It's your choice, Touji," Momo says. Then she steps back, out of reach.

It should be easy, Touji knows. It should be easy just to turn around and walk away from this. Two seconds ago he had been ready to fight his way through. Now he can't find it in him to move in either direction. Touji doesn't think he has ever been more confused in his life. "What do you want me to do?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Kairi replies, an almost mocking note in his voice. "We want you to stay. Momo wants you. I want you." His mouth twists. "The real question here is, what does Touji want?"

Touji looks away. That's the problem. He doesn't_ know_. If he knew, none of this would be so hard. Trying to force some clarity into his mind, he looks at them again. He studies the slight droop of Momo's shoulders and the look on her face that is trying so hard to be unconcerned but isn't quite succeeding. Then he looks at Kairi's carefully neutral face, and at the way his arm rests so familiarly around Momo's waist. They seem so at ease together, so happy. He wants that.

His eyes fall on Kairi's lips, and he can feel himself flush a little. Those lips had been on his skin just a short while ago, soft and sure. It had felt nice for those few seconds before reality had kicked in. Would it feel nice again, now that he was once more firmly planted in reality? Or would he feel the disgust that he probably should have felt the first time around?

Touji looks at Momo again. Now he can see the tears that he'd been so surprised to find missing earlier. If he leaves, Momo is going to cry. He may not be sure just what he wants, but he knows that he doesn't want that. He has never wanted that.

"Yes," he says. "I'll stay."

The tears disappear from Momo's eyes just as quickly as that, and she springs forward to throw her arms around him. He meets Kairi's eyes over her head, and although he still isn't sure he's doing the right thing, Kairi's soft smile makes him feel a little more so. And with every moment that passes, he feels more and more sure, until he gives up his doubts. This may not be perfect, but for the moment, it's just right.

* * *

It feels good, in the aftermath, with Momo's hair tickling his cheek and Touji's cries of release still ringing in his ears. Kairi has always liked these moments, quiet and unhurried by the rest of the world. The addition of Touji feels less awkward than he had imagined it would. Actually, the entire thing had worked much better than he'd thought it would. It wasn't perfect, but it was good, and both Momo and Touji look happy. Kairi knows that he's happy. He doesn't want this to end.

And why should it? Momo...He's always wondered a little if she'll ever be able to be truly happy without Touji. Even when they were together for that short time without Touji hanging over them, he would see her eyes wander to him in class, or her thoughts wander to him when they were alone together. As for Touji, he obviously never stopped caring for Momo. There would be no problems between the two of them, despite Momo's objections that Kairi is the only one for her. It seems that the only real doubt in the matter is between Touji and himself.

He looks over at Touji, who is tracing idle patterns on Momo's stomach, a contented look on his face. His stomach flip-flops a little at that look. Touji really is at his best when he's happy. Momo has that right.

Touji's hand stills and his eyes lock on Kairi's as he realizes he's being watched. Kairi can feel his cheeks warm at being caught so blatantly staring, but he refuses to look away. He expects Touji to do the job for him anyway, embarrassed and uncomfortable with this unforeseen complication that has come along with Momo.

Touji surprises him. He doesn't look away, and the moment draws long. Kairi is vaguely aware of Momo looking between the two of them. Part of him wants to reassure her, to pull her close to him and kiss away the uncertainty that is beginning to show in her eyes. The rest of him can't pull his attention away from Touji. What is he thinking? Is he disgusted with himself, that he's done something like this with someone like Kairi? Or does Momo's presence outweigh all else? Is that regret in his eyes, or something completely different?

Finally, Touji looks away, tongue darting out nervously to wet his lips. A thought flashes through Kairi's mind, and before he has time to analyze it, he finds himself leaning forward. Touji starts when their lips met, but he doesn't pull away. Kairi lets his tongue follow the path that Touji's had taken only seconds before, across his lips and then inside. He swallows the soft noise Touji makes and twines his hands in Touji's soft hair, deepening the kiss. He could get used to this.

The thought strikes a chord in him, half-formed ideas and thoughts swirling in his head until he pulls away from the kiss, hoping some distance will let things settle. His eyes run from Touji's flushed face to Momo's, who has an inscrutable look in her usually open eyes. He studies her, wondering what it is she's trying to hide and why. She smiles at him, the strange look leaving her face, then turns her head to include Touji in the smile as well.

The thoughts that were running through Kairi's head solidify into an Idea. He turns it over, eyes it from all sides. It could work, he decides eventually. But he needs a way to communicate it, one that won't scare off Touji and Momo the way he is sure that simple words will. He needs a way to tell them that it's OK.

Something moves against his fingers, and he looks down, momentarily startled out of his thoughts. It is Momo's fingers, he realizes, twining around his own. He looks at them for a moment, then raises his head and smiles at Momo. Then, quite deliberately, he reaches out his free hand and grasps Touji's in his own.

Touji's hand is bigger than his and callused. Really quite different from Momo's, which is small and soft. Momo's hand is also responsive where Touji's is not.

Kairi looks up to find Touji's eyes on him.

"What are you doing?" Touji asks. There is an edge to his voice that Kairi can't quite place, but the uncertainty in his eyes is easy enough to read.

"Holding your hand," Kairi says. He tilts his head and smiles before adding, "Kazu-chan."

Touji stiffens and his arm gives a reflexive tug as he tries to pull his hand away from Kairi's, but Kairi is stronger than he looks. He holds on. He can hear Momo shifting beside him, but he keeps his eyes firmly fixed on Touji's face. He doesn't know what he is looking for, but he's pretty sure that he'll know it when he sees it.

So he keeps his gaze still as Touji's eyes dart this way and that as if he can't decide where to settle them. Finally, they fall upon their joined hands, and still. Kairi continues to study him for a moment, then finally looks at Momo. She also seems captivated by the image of Kairi and Touji's hands twined together, but after a moment she senses his gaze on her and looks up.

Her expression hasn't changed, but his perspective has; he thinks he knows what she's thinking. He squeezes her hand in his own, then looks pointedly at the other. She raises it.

"Momo-chan," he says.

She smiles, then reaches slowly for Touji's unoccupied hand.

Touji starts at the contact, eyes darting from Kairi to Momo. Then, even more slowly than Momo had reached, he accepts the hand, grasping it tightly in his own.

The room is silent, and Kairi can almost hear the thoughts churning through Touji's mind. He wants to say something to reassure him, but nothing comes to mind that wouldn't have the exact opposite effect. So he says nothing, just squeezing Touji and Momo's hands in his own, vaguely wishing that he could convey his feelings like that. He's not sure, but he thinks that Momo is doing the same with Touji's other hand.

A moment later, Touji's slack grip tightens and his fingers fold around Kairi's in a firm hold. He still looks uncertain, but less so than a moment before. Only time will make that uncertainty disappear entirely, Kairi is sure, but that's OK. This is enough, for now at least. Maybe it won't last, but then again, maybe it will. For now, Kairi thinks he can deal with maybe.

**Author's Note:**

> I had the idea for this story after watching the Peach Girl anime. Even though I was rooting for Kairi, I felt really bad for Touji, and so this was my solution to that little problem.
> 
> Before I leave you to your peace, I wanted to clear up one small point of possible confusion. You may have noticed that there were some conflicting views between Momo and Kairi about the duration of this relationship. Momo, as I hope you noticed, considered it to be a permanent change right from the start, whereas Kairi seemed to be thinking of something closer to a one night stand until the idea of making it more permanent occurred to him. This made sense to me given their characters and was intentional, just in case anyone is confused on that point.
> 
> If you feel inclined to leave a review, please do! This was kind of a different style for me, so I'd love to hear from you.


End file.
